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Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice @ South Buona Vista

Located just a few minutes from the foot of Kent Ridge Park is a popular Teochew – style boneless duck rice which for the past many years has kept it’s loyal customers to keep coming back.

Many people may have, at one point or another, tried this popular duck rice stall which is also commonly known as the “Duck Rice from Pasir Panjang”. Personally, I have never tried the duck rice from this particular eating house before and I was really glad that I made a visit to this place based on my friends’ recommendations.

It was during lunch time when I visited Lim Seng Lee but because I was slightly early, the crowd wasn’t that bad but at least half the eating house was already filled with customers enjoying the boneless duck rice here.

About 8 of us filled a huge table in the middle of the eating house so we followed the waiting staff’s recommendation – an uncle who seemed more than happy to see us filling a table with lots of orders.

There are no menus given here. No doubt this is a eating house that specializes in duck rice, the waiting staff did not even bother to provide any menu or references for new customers like myself. Everything was through verbal communication and largely your own imagination as to what the dishes are available. Of course, one could easily make a quick glance towards the other tables to see what’s worth ordering but I left that judgement to the “uncle” who attended to us.

Duck Meat (Whole) ($40)

What came to the table was a plate of whole, boneless duck, topped with thick and sticky “lor zhup” or braised sauce. As with typical braised duck, the key is in the sauce. Most Teowchew braised duck comes with a much more watery type of “lor zhup” hence the sauce itself is something quite special. If starch-based sauce is to your liking, you definitely would love the braised sauce here. Don’t worry about not having enough of the braised sauce as additional sauce could be requested at no additional charges. You can also choose between a bowl of rice or porridge, depending on your appetite for the day.

Mr Lim, the owner of the eatery, is also the same person behind the knife cutting and slicing the braised ducks for the past many years. The duck meat is thinly sliced in a consistent manner but personally I find that the duck meat is perhaps a little bit too thin for my liking. Having said that, the meat itself is well braised and really tender. You will also find a generous serving of cucumbers below the duck meat. Last but not least, not to mention that the chilli sauce used here also complement well with the tender duck meat.

Duck Innards ($2 onwards)

Also known locally as “spare parts“. Some love it while others simply avoid it. The duck innards consist mainly of the duck liver topped with the same braised sauce as the duck meat. Personally I don’t eat the innards but according to my friends who tried them, it’s decently good (due to the braised sauce of course).

Sambal Kang Kong ($5 onwards)

Kang Kong, also known as “Eng Chye” in Hokkien is one of my favourite vegetables. The version served here is with the typical sambal sauce which in my opinion, is decent but definitely not the best. The serving is also a tad too little for sharing, despite having inform the waiting staff that it’s for 8 persons to share. In the end we had to order another plate just to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds.

Braised Tofu ($5 onwards)

I quite like the braised tofu. Slightly crispy on the outside yet soft and tender on the inside. The taste of the tofu itself is quite good but the sauce over the tofu can definitely be better.

ConclusionThe star of Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice is, without a doubt, the delectable braised duck meat and the thick braised sauce used to pair with the tender duck meat. The braised sauce is absolutely non-oily and very addictive. Not to mention that the sauce goes very well with the bowl of rice too. Most people would agree that the price of the duck (whole) is kind of steep but I guess by patronizing this famous duck rice stall once in awhile wouldn’t hurt. Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice is definitely one of the best duck rice stalls I’ve tried!